Varsities quick to start relief work

All Central Universities of the Capital have been quick to respond to Friday's earthquake that has left a trail of devastation in Gujarat. After the long weekend, the first thing different sections of the university community on all four campuses did was chalk out strategies collectively or within their own outfits to provide relief to the thousands that have either fallen prey to nature's ways or left to pick up the pieces.

The Capital's largest Central University -- Delhi University -- saw the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Deepak Nayyar, put together a Disaster Management Committee to formulate a short and long-term intervention strategy. Even before this, the University had a presence in the relief work with medicos from its various medical institutions being rushed to the quake-ravaged areas during the weekend itself.

Without waiting for any direction from the administration, the Jamia Teachers' Association have decided to contribute a day's salary to Gujarat earthquake relief. Also, the Association has decided to cancel its annual dinner and divert the money that would have been spent hosting the event to earthquake relief.

Over at Jawaharlal Nehru University, Students For Harmony organised a blood donation camp as always on Martyr's Day which was observed on Tuesday. However, this time round, the endeavour was dedicated to the quake victims; resulting in a collection of 150 units of blood in four-and-a-half hours.

In fact, so enthusiastic were the students to chip in that the medicos from the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences had to apparently say No to many who had queued up on the lawns of the School of International Studies to donate blood.

Offering the services of Indira Gandhi National Open University to all local, national and international agencies in disaster management, the Chairman of the Faculty of Public Administration and Coordinator of the Disaster Management Studies, Prof. Pradeep Sahni, has emphasised the need for an integrated approach to minimise loss emanating out of disasters.

The University, according to Prof. Sahni, is already working in the area of disaster management through its educational and awareness programmes. Also, he has used the attention grabbed by seismic activity these days to underline the fact that the University is keen to step up its activities in research, education, training and orientation of government officials, NGOs and elected representatives of local bodies for appropriate disaster management.

* * *

This being the 30th year of its existence, the Students Federation of India (SFI) organised a Student Cultural Meet on Tuesday and Wednesday at Arts Faculty to commemorate its years of struggle and affirmative action.

The meet took various forms. There was street theatre -- a staple of many a Leftist gathering -- a students rally, couple of discussions and even a bit of festivity with bhangra. But the commemoration of three decades in action did not end with this meet; at least not for Delhi members of SFI who will be busy with the 13th Delhi State Conference due to be held at Delhi University on Thursday

* * *

A year after the Swadeshi Vigyan Mela at the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, in February last year, the endeavour has been followed up with the setting up of a Centre for Rural Development and Technology at the Capital's premier engineering institute.

The Centre has been set up with the mandate of rural reconstruction by bringing together scientists, students, farmers and artisans. Together, they will try to formulate a programme that will revive traditional artisanal skills through the appropriate use of science and technology.

Being an endeavour of the swadeshi school of thought, the exercise is aimed at indigenising development and linking frontier areas of science and technology to national priorities as against aping what the West has to offer.

-- Anita Joshua

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Other States
Previous : BMW accused plea for case transfer
Next     : Artist hooked on to Vastu